Getting Started:
First we need to buy some wood.- Floor and roof - 4 OSB sheets 11mm thick 170cm x 120cm
- Walls - 2 x OSB sheets 9mm thick 160 x 120
- Walls - 2 x OSB sheets 9mm thick 110 x 120
- Lots of timber 11mm x 22mm
- Glass wool insulation
- Screws
Fig 1.
The floor
The timber is used to build a frame. The insulation is placed inside the frame.Is insulation needed? Maybe not, but we don't want our chickens to freeze! Once the insulation is in place, we cover it with a second OSB sheet.
Fig 2.
The floor, roof and walls
The sharp eyed amongst you will notice that the corners have a 22mm x 22mm piece cut out. This is where the support posts will come later.The roof is built in the same way (also insulated).
The walls are also built in this way, with holes for the windows and door. With the walls we used one OSB sheet and build the frame. The insulation comes later.
Fig 3.
The floor, continued
So that the floor will be easy to clean it is tiled. We used some left over tiles from our bathroom renovation.In the top right of fig 4 you can see one of the walls with a window hole.
Fig 4.
The roof
We have already built an insulated roof but we do not want a flat roof. We build a frame so that we have a sloped roof.
Fig 5.
Assembly
We can now start to assemble the pre built floor, roof, walls and support posts.The floor is resting on a support built from old bits of wood. To the right you can see a wall that has the holes in it for a window and the main door. At each corner of the floor we have dug a hole in the ground.
Fig 6.
Those holes
The holes are there so we can use concrete to fix the brackets that hold the support posts.The floor has been placed absolutly level on our temporary support. Later when the support posts are attached with the brackets (see right) already bolted on, we can add cement to the hole and fix them at the correct height.
Fig 7.
The walls
The walls are now screwed onto the floor. Notice that the tiles have been laid so that there is space for the walls to be attached to the floor.The walls are only attached to the floor, not to each other. Remember that 22 x 22mm corner piece missing from the floor?
Once the roof is attached, the walls gain some stability.
Fig 8.
The support posts
Now our 22 x 22mm missing corner comes into play. The 8cm x 8cm support posts fit neatly into that missing corner bit.The posts have already been painted and the metal brackets attached. The posts are screwed to the wall but do not yet support anything.
Once all four posts have been attached we can fill the holes in the ground with cement and fix them knowing that the coop is level.
Fig 9.
More assembly
The roof frame plus boarding is now placed on top of the insulated flat roof. The cement has been added to the holes in the ground. We now have to wait for the cement to set.In this picture you can see the exit point for the chickens, but no ladder as yet.
Fig 10.
Waiting
Because we could not complete the coop on the weekend we covered it with a tarp to protect it from the weather until we can add the boarding for the walls, tile the roof and add the windows.
Fig 11.
Almost complete
Now we have added insulation to the walls and finished them off with timber boards. Added the windows we built earlier and finished the roof with bitumin roof tiles.A quick dab of paint, some gutters to catch the rain and the coop is at least weather secure.
Fig 12.
Fencing 1
We do not want the chickens to use the whole garden, so we have built a fence to keep them to their share of the garden. Wire mesh has also been added around the base of the coop and also mesh to cover the coop.
Fig 13.
Fencing 2
Note that the base of the fencing has also been secured with stone so that nothing can burrow under the fence, except maybe for a mole. The coop and the garden that the chickens use is now secure against foxes and the like. Anything bigger than a mouse cannot get in or out.
Fig 14.
Ladder
So the chickens can easily get from the ground to the coop we have made them a ladder, of course in matching colours to the coop.Also, we have build a porch for the door so that the chickens can look out without getting wet. The real reason is that it prevents draughts.
Fig 15.
"Furniture"
OK, they don't need a sofa and coffee table! A perch is a must though. Under the perch is their toilet. They seem to do their business mainly at night. To clean up after them we only need to take the meshed frame out of the coop, brush it down, then sweep the droppings from the floor into a wheel barrow in front of the door.
Fig 16.
"Furniture" 2
On the right you can see the nest boxes, behind those a door that can be opened and closed from outside the coop. In the middle is the "kitchen", some water to drink and a feeding trough.
Fig 17.
Window box
So the chickens can look out from their perch and see flowers we have added a window box to the coop.
Fig 18.
Chickens!
And finally a few pictures of the happy residents.
Eggs
I almost forgot, they lay eggs as well. Sometimes they lay big eggs as you can see below.